I am ready to replace Luke Shaw for England - I would have been the perfect signing for Man United
When Newcastle United committed to paying a fee potentially rising to £35million for teenage left-back Lewis Hall last summer, many eyebrows were raised.
After all, this was a player who had made just nine Premier League appearances for Chelsea and the jury was still out over whether he was good enough to justify that fee.
Manchester United fans will remember Hall scoring during Newcastle's 3-0 win at Old Trafford in the Carabao Cup last season, and again in United's 3-2 win in May. But the doubts only grew during his first season on Tyneside.
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Hall had to wait until November for his first Premier League start that season and was hauled off at half-time during a 2-0 defeat at Bournemouth.
The same thing happened in a 2-0 defeat in the Champions League to Borussia Dortmund and people were beginning to question whether Magpies manager Eddie Howe really trusted him.
Howe always insisted publicly that they held great faith in Hall and saw his signing as a long-term investment that would eventually pay off in Newcastle's first team.
While initially he would play second fiddle to Dan Burn at left-back, a number of injuries finally saw Hall handed a consistent run of games as he started the last five games of last season.
But his improvement this season has been immeasurable. He has featured in every Newcastle game, with the Toon Army heading to Old Trafford on Monday having ended Boxing Day in fifth place in the Premier League.
Hall has become one of the first names on the team sheet and his consistency, in a fairly inconsistent season for Newcastle, has proven to be a revelation for Howe.
"He has played really well this season. He has been very consistent," Howe said earlier this month.
"He has been a real shining light in that aspect by being the same Lewis, home or away. For someone so young that is hard to do.
"His technical delivery has been outstanding, building attacks, his final ball can improve, but great to see him get two assists so far.
"Defensively he has been pretty good, but there are still areas to improve and develop. He's moving in the right direction, but for someone so young his maturity levels have been really good."
Hall has two assists to his name this season and his form saw him called up to the England senior squad in November. He came off the bench in a 3-0 win over Greece in Athens, before playing the full 90 minutes in a 5-0 win over Ireland.
His performances left interim head coach Lee Carsley impressed and, should his form continue, he already seems a shoo-in for Thomas Tuchel's first squad selection in March - particularly when you consider it was Tuchel who handed Hall his professional debut at Chelsea.
United left-back Luke Shaw would have looked on with concern as Hall excelled on the international stage. Shaw has long suffered with injury concerns but there has been no serious challenger at left-back to emerge in his absence to threaten his return to the England side.
However, Hall now has that starting spot in his sights as England begin their qualification campaign for the 2026 World Cup.
“I am still really young, every single time I play for England, no matter what age group, I am really grateful," Hall said in an interview with The Mirror after his first call up.
"To be in this camp now is something I am truly grateful for. Right now I am just trying to learn from other people who have been in the squad for a while.
“Luke Shaw is someone I watched a lot when he played for England and I really like a lot of things he does in his game and he is someone I can, not become because I want to be my own player, but take parts of his game to put into my game and one day I can play regularly for England.”
And United fans may look on enviously at their opponents on Monday, too. Shaw had been missing for nine months through various injuries before he returned in November for three matches.
He has since picked up a hamstring injury that is set to keep him out of action for more weeks to come, while Tyrell Malacia is still on a minutes restriction after missing over a year of action through injury himself.
Diogo Dalot will likely continue to deputise in an unnatural left-wing-back position, while Hall will line up for the 23rd time this season for the Magpies at left-back.
Amorim could delve into the transfer market for a new left wing-back in January. If not next month, then he certainly will do in the summer. A player of Hall's ability, potential and consistency would have been the ideal recruit.
